Friday Freebies

When the TEA accountability ratings get announced at some point today, a couple of Terrell schools are going to get some less than stellar news.

District officials are bracing for the worst as they are expecting two campuses to be rated as "academically unacceptable." Overall, the district is expecting an "acceptable" rating.

The official ratings on the math, science, reading, writing and social studies test scores and other areas that affect the accountability number will be released by the Texas Education Agency on July 31.

For his part, TISD superintendent Kelly Rodgers isn't making any excuses, telling me simply that "We've got work to do."

One thing folks need to remember when checking out these TEA ratings is that a new accountability system has been put in place. And that system is causing somewhat of a stir across the state. This story, which I found on the Marshall News-Journal site but originated from the Austin American-Statesman, provides a little insight into that controversy.

• I'm anxious to see who Jim picks as his winner from the Terrell Photo Walk. I know he's been struggling with the decision, and that's a good thing. That means he had a lot of great entries.

• Apparently, they had a photo walk in Decatur, too, and Wise County Messenger photog Joe Duty has provided a link to some of the shots.

• Our friend Don J. makes the most out of what he's got while in Fort Worth.

• It had been awhile since I'd dropped by one of my favorite newspaper photography blogs, but I'm glad I did last night. Gary has a great piece on something that as a reporter all of us have to face now and then. Sometimes, it's tough to step back and be the observer when you know tragedy is unfolding before your very lense. Good stuff.

• Billy Zane and ABC are headed to the area to shoot yet another legal drama. I have a cousin who I've always thought looked to be a dead-ringer for Zane.

• Dawson's Creek meets 90120...sounds like a storm is brewing.

• One of my best friends from college is living in College Station these days, which makes this crazy story hit a little closer to home.

• 'Cash for clunkers' to be suspended amid fears it will run out of money quickly.

• Is Hutchison's camp trying to spread a rumor that Perry is gay? Link.

• Not sure how I keep going after that.

• Thousands of top traders and bankers on Wall Street were awarded huge bonuses and pay packages last year, even as their employers were battered by the financial crisis. OK, are we really surprised by this report?

• A little Friday Fun for those who need it. The yolks on you.

Thursday Thoughts

• That's a nice catch above.

• I'm told that most people sleep all night — that the next thing that happens after they go to sleep is that they hear the alarm clock the next morning. That hasn't happened to me in years. I normally wake up two or three times every night. Some of this can be blamed on the kids, but for the most part, I'm just not a big sleeper.

• The Republican race for governor devolved into a schoolyard taunt of who should be the quitter Wednesday, after Kay Bailey Hutchison said that she would resign her Senate seat within four months to challenge Rick Perry full-time. Link.

• And in related news, Gov. Rick Perry said he might move up the date of the special election to replace Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison because too many important things are going on in Washington, D.C. Link.

• President Obama’s ability to shape the debate on health care appears to be eroding as opponents aggressively portray the effort as a government takeover that could limit Americans’ ability to chose their doctors and course of treatment, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. Link.

• I know a few friends who might be affected by this.

Wednesday Wit & Wisdom

I'm working on a story for today's edition of The Terrell Tribune that will discuss pay raises for TISD teachers.

In case you haven't heard, federal officials have approved Gov. Rick Perry’s application for almost $2 billion in economic stimulus money for public schools. That's a good thing because without that approval, school funding for the coming year would have been thrown into turmoil with the start of classes less than a month away.

You see, instead of providing school funding from the state's budget, this year legislators opted to make use of the stimulus funds for their two-year budget. In all, the state is sending $1.87 billion in stimulus funs to about 1,200 school districts. Technically, each school is guaranteed $120 per WADA. If you don't know what WADA is, Christina had a great story about it in the Herald.

For Terrell teachers, this means at least an $800 year annual raise because that's one of the many strings attached by state legislators. The likelihood is that amount will grow and maybe even double once all the stimulus funds are assigned.

I'm sure teachers will appreciate every penny they get. After all, they deserve it. That being said, I have to wonder what will happen two years down the road when there are no more stimulus funds and the district is forced to fund those higher salaries on its own.

While it is good to have more moneys for schools in light of the fact that the state's school-funding mechanism (put in place in 2006) has failed to keep up with rising costs, it would have been better if those funds would have come without any strings.

When it's all said and done, those strings will end up costing the taxpayers, who will be forced to pick up the tab when in 2011 legislators are unable to come up with a way to fund these pay raises. Taxpayers will either have to foot the bill or school districts will have to slice away on their already struggling budgets.

Either way, that's not a good solution.


• Every day on NPR, listeners hear funding credits — or, in other words, very short, simple commercials. A few weeks ago, a new one made it to air: “Support for NPR comes from the estate of Richard Leroy Walters, whose life was enriched by NPR, and whose bequest seeks to encourage others to discover public radio.” NPR’s Robert Siegel wondered who Walters was. So Siegel Googled him. An article in the online newsletter of a Catholic mission in Phoenix revealed that Walters died two years ago at the age of 76. He left an estate worth about $4 million. Along with the money he left for NPR, Walters also left money for the mission. But something distinguished Walters from any number of solvent, well-to-do Americans with seven-figure estates: He was homeless.

• There are some things in this world that will never be forgotten, this week’s 40th anniversary of the moon landing for one. But Moore’s Law and our ever-increasing quest for simpler, smaller, faster and better widgets and thingamabobs will always ensure that some of the technology we grew up with will not be passed down the line to the next generation of geeks. Here's a list of 100 things our kids may never know about.

• Check out Christina's story in the Herald this week about Hidden Acres. It's a good one.

• Apparently, there is a fairly large fire in Forney this a.m.

• An interesting article on the cult of personality and how it applies to the presidency. Link.

Tuesday Tidbits

Bright and early yesterday morning, my youngest son (pictured above) went under the knife. Don't freak out, it was just a minor outpatient surgery to correct a step his birth mother opted to skip shortly after his birth.

Calling it a minor surgery, though, didn't make it any easier on us — the parents. For his part, our boy handled it like a trooper, laughing and giggling with the nurses as the wheeled him off.

The Lovely Wife is the one who took him in for this outpatient procedure. I'm glad of that because I'm not too keen on doctor's visits myself. However, I spent most of the morning trying to avoid the thought of some doctor, cutting him open with a scalpel, which simply sends shivers down my spine. I can just picture him lying there on a table, with all of the wires from the monitors, the beeping from the heart monitor, and him just lying there lifeless. Let's face it, if you knew my boy, you'd know that Captain Chaos is never lifeless…even when he sleeps.

Of course, in reality, the procedure was medically routine. Heck, it took less than 20 minutes, and the good news is everything went just fine.

• Somebody on the Kaufman square yesterday asked me if I'd heard anything new on the district attorney's situation. Not really. But I did see this interesting article on Texas Lawyer's blog.

• Apparently, KBH is poaching some donors from Gov. Good Hair. Link.

• For the most part, I think we've all moved past remarks that Texas should secede. However, if that thought remains in someone's mind, one state senator puts forwards some data suggesnting an independent Texas may well be a third world country.

• Looks like Laurie over at Terrell Soup and I are thinking along the same lines. The wife and I, too, are considering Weight Watchers.

• I'm out hunting feature story ideas for our weekly Lifestyles page in Terrell. If you've got any good ideas, drop me a line at publisher@terrelltribune.com. Also, be on the lookout for our Religion page, which will launch in August. If your church has something going on, drop me a line as well.

• I know this will have Obvious Insight seething as it is one of her pet peeves: Texas spends an average of $7,818 per student — the seventh-least amount of all states — according to a census report released Monday.

Monday Musings

Tomorrow the Dallas Cowboys open training camp. For the sports radio fan like me, that's good news. That means I can quit hearing failed radio bits and start hearing about something I truly care about.

Of course, as a rabid football fan, it also means that we're that much closer to the kickoff of several football seasons.

• While I think Drew Gooden would be a good fit here in Dallas, what I really found interesting that a lot of people found out about this from Twitters between Gooden and Mark Cuban.

• For much of his education, Xue Longlong was silently accompanied from grade to grade, school to school, by a sealed Manila envelope stamped top secret. Stuffed inside were grades, test results, evaluations by fellow students and teachers, his Communist Party application and — most important for his job prospects — proof of his 2006 college degree. But two years ago, Mr. Xue’s file did vanish. So did the files of at least 10 others, all 2006 college graduates with exemplary records, all from poor families living near this gritty north-central town on the wide banks of the Yellow River. With the Manila folders went their futures, they say. Link.

• Terrell's Rebecca Dugger continues to have the coolest jobs. Link.

• Getting this blog post today was like pulling teeth. I'm kind of suffering from writer's block. But I've got a good reason.

• Just beat it.

• A lot of people have asked me why I posted no pictures of my vacation with me in them. So, there you go. That's me at the top in Jamaica.

Have a great week!

Friday Freebies

Newspaper advertising remains the leading advertising medium cited by consumers in planning, shopping and making purchasing decisions, according to early data from a MORI Research survey of more than 3,000 adults. The findings, announced today by the Newspaper Association of America, provide conclusive evidence of the ongoing value newspaper ads deliver for marketers trying to reach consumers who are ready to shop and spend.

“Newspaper advertising remains the most powerful tool for advertisers who want to motivate consumers to take action,” said NAA President and CEO John Sturm. “While new technologies have their place in any total marketing program, initial findings from this important research demonstrate the enduring power of today’s newspaper ads. We’re looking forward to offering more comprehensive data on consumer motivation and the influence of newspaper advertising after a full analysis is completed in early fall.”

This study, part of a series entitled “American Consumer Insights,” examined the impact newspaper advertising has on consumer shopping and spending patterns. Early results indicate:

Nearly six in 10 adults (59 percent) identify newspapers as the medium they use to help plan shopping or make purchase decisions
82 percent of those surveyed said they “took action” as a result of newspaper advertising, including:
Clipping a coupon (61 percent)
Buying something (50 percent)
Visiting Web sites to learn more (33 percent)
Trying something for the first time (27 percent)
73 percent of adults regularly or occasionally read newspaper inserts
82 percent have been spurred to action by a newspaper insert in the past month.

Preliminary data also reveals that other media trailed well behind newspapers as the primary medium for checking advertising. The closest competitor – the Internet – trailed newspapers by 20 percentage points (41 percent vs. 21 percent). Direct mail only mustered a 14 percent response in the survey, and television was cited by only eight percent of respondents. The numbers for other media trail off from that point (totals are displayed in the chart at the end of this release).

Good news for us, huh?

• I've added a new blogger to the list of reads. Everyone say hello to Terrell Soup.

•  Slain Dallas police officer's supervisor didn't follow procedures during fateful night, investigation finds. Link.

We're down two people at the Tribune today and are facing a tight deadline so I'm keeping this one short.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday Thoughts

The last couple of days, a war of words has erupted between Kaufman County's district attorney and local Republican Party leaders. We had a story about it in yesterday's Terrell Tribune.

While Rick Harrison's arrest was a little more than a month ago, it seems this story is heating up this week. Republican Party leaders' call for the DA to step down is probably just the first step. There is a process to, for lack of a better word, impeach the district attorney. It wouldn't surprise me if someone does that next.

Of course, amid this controversy, I wouldn't be surprised either to see a few candidates for the office go ahead and throw their hats into the ring publicly. In fact, I'm hearing rumblings that one or two may do that in the next week.

• Six months into his presidency, the charge that Barack Obama is — literally — un-American is gaining not losing steam. Yes, the Birther bump is growing. Interesting read in the NYT.

• A guy named Kelly Hildebrandt gets on Facebook and finds a girl named Kelly Hildebrandt. So what do they do? They get married. Link.

• A nine-year-old girl whose mother died from skin cancer was banned from applying suncream at school for health and safety reasons. Got to love the Brits.

• Delta Air Lines has added a $5 surcharge for paying checked baggage fees at the airport instead of online, matching moves by some other airlines. As another blogger put it, let's call it an "inconvenience fee." (h/t The Agitator).

Passing along an important message

A reader (and fellow blogger) asked me to pass this along, and I think it's well worth the time to do so.

This week is International Sarcoma Awareness Week which runs July 18 - 26. There are vairous people (children, teens, adults) fighting various types of sarcoma and there is not much awareness or research out there. We lose children / spouses / parents to the disease too often. Please be sure to check out Team-Sarcoma's website. http://www.team-sarcoma.net/".

There currently are no events in our area, but by going to the website, there are places for donations and other ways to get the word out. The donations go to research and by having more people become aware; maybe we can give hope to those already fighting this disease. We need a cure and soon. And knowing the blogger who passed this along, you can bet we will have something in place by next year to help benefit Team-Sarcoma.

Ewing's Sarcoma is a pediatric bone cancer normally found in children ages 10 -20.

The local blogger, whose husband has been diagnosed with this type of cancer, can tell you personally that this is a very ugly cancer that no parent, spouse, child needs to go through. It is also hard as a parent / spouse / or child to watch your loved one fight this disease. It has a high chance of spreading to other parts of the body.

If you are interested, here is a list of those currently fighting some form of sarcoma. This comes from the carepages community where they are able to share their journey with family, friends, and find others with similar stories.

Wednesday Wit & Wisdom

Yesterday, I mentioned that Citizen Bezner had an interesting post about the third Beatitude. It prompted me to think about what it truly means to be "meek."

Just as nobody wants to be poor and nobody wants to be left wanting, most folks in our society have a hard time understanding why it is good to be "meek." That's because we think of the meek as the doormats of our society. We assume the meek are timid people who scatter like mice when tough situations arise. But our Lord does not say "Blessed are the weenies." In fact, I believe we could argue how truly strong and brave many people who have proven their faith in more trying times are. I'd have a hard time calling Francis of Assisi timid.

Instead, I'd argue that to be meek is to know who you are, where you are coming from, and where you are going. It is to be at home in your own skin and not to be afflicted with envy for someone else's life. It is to understand in life that lowliness comes as easy as power because we are not defined by what anyone else owns, does or is. Ultimately, to be meek is to be free — free to accept what our Lord has to offer with no strings attached.

In other words, if Jesus were a T.O. fan, he'd probably quip, "I love me some meek."

With that, I return the pulpit to the more qualified.

• Kudos to Bethany over at the Eleventy Billionth Blog for pointing out something I too wondered. Link.

• By the way, my story about the DA and the GOP leaders is up online here and here.

• I've updated my book list. It's July and I've only read 11 books. I've got some ground to make up. Currently, I'm reading "Lies My Teacher Told Me," which is an in-depth look at the history printed in textbooks as compared to the real history that happened. It's interesting, but the author blatantly has an agenda.

• My 2-year-old is refusing to let me change his diaper this morning, emitting a banshee like scream every time I approach. Some days, I just don't have the energy to fight that battle.

• Pete Delkus tells me by Twitter this morning that the high will be 91. That rocks!

• Violent crime has plummeted in the Washington area and in major cities across the country, a trend criminologists describe as baffling and unexpected — especially in a struggling economy.

Tuesday Tidbits

On Monday, I received word that the Kaufman County Republican Party is going to issue a statement asking that embattled District Attorney Rick Harrison resign his position. I'm working to have a story on it for Tuesday's edition of The Terrell Tribune.

Harrison, who was arrested by Seagoville police around 12:10 a.m. June 18 on suspicion of DWI, will likely have a comment as well.

I have to admit I'm not surprised someone has stepped up to ask Harrison resign. I am a little surprised it's gone on this long without someone doing it, though.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

• I never get to write this kind of stuff. Link.

• Every year, these guys roll into Terrell...and it never ceases to amaze me what they do for a good cause.

• Citizen Bezner has a nice post today about the third Beatitude.

• The Tribune's Progress section comes out this Sunday. While that means we Tribune staffers have a busy week ahead of us, I'm hoping all of you pick up a copy to look at our hard work come this weekend. We've got some great stories lined up for it.

• Not sure what my kids will wear now. Link.

• While blogging this post, I'm watching "Big Fish." It remains one of my favorites.

• An interesting group of photos from the Apollo 11 mission. Link.

• That photo at the top is to remind us that everyone has daily chores to do.

Monday Musings

I'm not sure if it's direct retaliation by Gov. Good Hair for all the bad things I've written about him or just bad luck, but I've never been able to drive through Austin, Texas without a hitch.

Point in case, this weekend.

Obliging The Lovely Wife, I took the family to Padre Island this weekend. The trip had two purposes: 1. Visit the wife's grandmother for her 90th birthday and 2. Let the kids enjoy some sun and fun on the beach.

On the way down, we had a mild 35-minute delay on I-35. Heck, I'll take that since apparently there's a state law against having more than one lane open at a time in that city.

On the way back, though, as I had cleverly planned to drive at night so the kids would be sleeping rather than pestering me with "Are we there yet?" questions, traffic meltdown occurred. By meltdown, I mean one hour snarl prior to even entering the Austin city limits followed by another 45-minute shutdown as we entered Round Rock.

I hate Austin.

• Expect some news this week about the DA. That's all I'm saying right now because...well...I want you folks to purchase some newspapers!

• Texas school districts are hiring less teachers. Well, there goes my Plan B.

• The speech Nixon would have given had the Apollo 11 mission failed. Morbid, but fascinating.

• Washgington Post piece questions Obama's domestic agenda.

• Every time there's an international crisis, conservatives rush to judgment. It's not a good idea. Good read.

Friday Freebies

I made a lot of new friends on my vacation trip to Jamaica. Bob Marley (pictured above) was one of them.

You see, Bob, shared my patio with me for the week. Every afternoon when my wife took her nap, I'd escape out to the patio to do some reading. On the first day, Bob made his presence known, but was too skittish to come very close. By Sunday, we were good buds. He'd perch on the rail near my chair or even relax on the patio table as I read. We had some good conversations. OK, they were pretty one sided, but when he'd cock his head one way or another I was pretty sure that was lizard for "Yeah, mon."

It may seem a little funny, but I'm kind of missing Bob this week. I hope the next tenants of Room 1226 treat him well.

• Looking for a job? Money says try Rockwall County.

• Facebook has taken a few hits lately. Here's another. That's just bad customer relations.

• On Sunday, our Lifestyles page in the Tribune returns. My intent is for it to become a permanent Sunday fixture from now on. Of course, that means I'm going to be needing some Reader's Eye contributors as well as some good feature story ideas. Feel free to email either to me at publisher@terrelltribune.com.

• No matter how far the economy falters, there is always a winner. And no city does better when the nation is at the brink of disaster than Washington, DC. Interesting read.

• People keep asking me if I know what's our district attorney's next move will be.

• Some Terrell folks aren't on board with throwing a tribute for native son Jamie Foxx since the city is also looking for ways to hone in on budget cuts.

• Health education gets a new push. Link.

• Nature photography is something Jim and Obvious Insight are much better at than I, but I couldn't resist trying my hand in Jamaica. The following shots are some I took.













• OK. This game is a little weird, but I've been promising some I'd do more Friday Freebies and that someone is always talking about sneaking out of the office. Here's her chance.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday Thoughts

Rumors of my blog's demise have been greatly exaggerated. However, I'll admit the temptation to extend my technological withdrawal a few more days has been great.

Before I jump into today's thoughts, let me reflect a few things about my trip to Jamaica. The above photo is the view from our room's balcony. Our room, by the way, had no glass windows, no television and very little a/c...but as you can tell the view was worth it.

My one regret, though, is not taking my camera and visiting other parts of the island — you know, the ones that don't make the postcards. As beautiful as our resort at Jamaica was a good portion of that island is poverty-stricken. It took The Lovely Wife and I an hour-and-a-half bus ride to get from the airport to our resort. Some of the areas (and people) I saw in between served as a stark reminder of how good we have it here in the U.S. of A and how insulated sometimes we are.

I'll admit it's also taking me some time to get back into the mood for blogging. I sat down a couple of times on Monday and Tuesday to blog, but just couldn't work up the inspiration. Good news is reading stuff like this from Bethany helped remind me why I got into this gig.

• Imagine a carbon sheet that’s only one atom thick but is stronger than diamond and conducts electricity 100 times faster than the silicon in computer chips. Link.

• American Airlines on Wednesday reported a $390 million loss during the second quarter of this year. The nation's other major carriers will report on their performance in the coming week, and they are also expected to announce significant losses. Link.

• I'm a sucker for M. Night Shyamalan films.

• I read three books on my vacation. I really need to update my listing on the side.

• Last night I saw a commercial for this. I'm not sure I'd one dedicated for me.

• Patricia Heaton's new vehicle looks familiar. Oh wait, I think it's because it's my life.

Monday Musing...well...

So, as of noon, tomorrow, I go cold turkey.

No blogging.

No Twitter.

No Facebook.

No work.

For 10 blessed years now, my lovely wife has conceded to claim me. To reward her for that wedded bliss, I'm taking her on a trip to Jamaica.

OK..who am I kidding. I came home one day last month to be informed by my wife that she'd booked us a trip to Jamaica for our 10th wedding anniversary. Heck, I'm not even sure where we are staying. All I know is it is just me and the Mrs. It's been a while since we've had a trip sans kids so, needless to say, we're excited.

To be honest, as someone who admittedly Twittered from his anniversary dinner last Friday, going cold turkey is going to be tough.

I may find myself fighting to resist the urge to find an Internet link-up like a smoker seeking out an unsmoked half pack in the back upper corner of a closet, kept for emergency use only. Mind you, I don’t smoke. Never have. I know my addictive personality well enough to not bother trying. Just thought it was an appropriate simile for habit breaking.

We'll see how this little experiment goes.

For those of you out there who may be Jonesing for blog fix, feel free to check out any of the links on the right hand of the page. I know Obvious Insight is committed to keeping up the good fight. Jim at Terrell Daily Photo will always have something to say as well. Of course, Don at East Texas Photo can offer some interesting observations too.

Enjoy the week.

I know I will.

July 4th Parade in Terrell

Each year in Terrell on July 4th, they have a bicycle/tricycle parade. Here are a few shots from it:

July 4th in Kaufman

No time for commentary, but here are some photos from Saturday morning's parade.

Friday Freebies

As I mentioned earlier this week, there are a couple more changes coming to the Tribune.

First of all, this weekend we'll be unveiling a new Lifestyles page that I'm hoping everyone likes. This page is designed to offer several ways to include the readers in the product. Let me know what you think of it.

Secondly, my column this Sunday covers a big change in the Tribune's production schedule. You can read all about it on Sunday, but for now suffice it to say that the we're eliminating one of our publication days.

• Schools bar parents from sports days to avoid pedophiles. Link.

• A 6.0 earthquake struck Friday morning in the Gulf of California, off the western coast of Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. I a friend who would remind me after reading that story that we're edging closer to 2012.

• The U.S. unemployment rate is now at 9.5 percent — the highest in 25 years.

• For my fellow P1s, the Hammer has resurfaced again. Link.

• A big European stiff. Yup, the Mavs just can't pass that up. Link.

• Technically, I understand Marcin Gortat would be a good addition and is a young player with an amazing upside. That being said, the Mavs fascination with the Euro goes a bit far. Euros usually have great fundamental skills but little attitude. I think this team would benefit from finding someone with skills and attitude.

• Don't forget this weekend's festivities: Parade in Kaufman, parade in Rosser and fireworks in Terrell.

Have a safe holiday...

...and remember I'm just a few days away from Jamaica!

Thursday Thoughts

Growing up, one way my father instilled into me a desire to get a good education was forcing me to spend my summers working with him in the family weatherproofing business. For those of you who aren't really sure what a weatherproofer does, let me just say it's not a glorious job. Weatherproofers are the crazy folks who make sure windows don't leak. Windows, most often, on the side of 15-20 story buildings.

Yup, a fear of heights is not allowed in my family.

In fact, I have memories of my father hanging off the wrong side of a scaffold, leaning as far as he could to caulk something with nothing below him but a 20-story drop.

The good news is I'm not really that scared of heights...but I do have a healthy respect for them. That's why I'm not sure I could handle this.

• One of my favorite bands in college has reformed...and keeps getting better. (h/t to zac crain)

• California's finances are puny. Ya.

• Every artist needs a canvass.

• Interesting quotes attributed to Albert Einstein.

• Cool site for my fellow nerds. Link.

Wednesday Wit & Wisdom

• A while back, I'd written about a legal battle involving Kaufman County that appeared to be heading to the Texas Supreme Court. Well, it apparently will be a hot topic again as it has made its way onto next week's commissioners court agenda (in executive session) and here as well.

• Texas Legislature special session gets under way today. Link.

• Earlier this year, Congress passed a “Stimulus” Bill. It was 973 pages long. This past Friday, the House passed a “Climate Change” Bill. It was more than 1200 pages long. This got me wondering: how long, exactly, is our Constitution? How many pages did it take our country’s founders to lay out the structure and functions of our Federal Government? Including the preamble, all signatures and all 27 amendments, it’s 20 pages. Without the signatures and amendments, it’s 11 pages.

• Have to keep it short today, got a busy agenda.